It’s only a three-hour drive to the other
side of the looking glass. Just 40 miles south of Indianapolis is
the small (36,000) manufacturing town of Columbus, Ind. Just like
Springfield, this lovely town is set amid fields of corn and
soybeans, but in terms of its art and architecture, it might as
well be on another planet.
This small town has been honored by the American Institute of
Architects for its preeminent collection of architecturally
significant buildings. The AIA ranks Columbus sixth in the nation
after Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Washington,
D.C. The National Park Service has designated six of its modern
buildings National Historic Landmarks.
Imagine this: Within a single square block
downtown is the First Christian Church, designed by Eliel Saarinen,
and the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, designed by I.M. Pei. And in
the plaza between these two gems is “Large Arch,” a
sculpture by Henry Moore. Just next door is the Columbus Visitors
Center, a restored 1864 mansion that was renovated and expanded by
architect Kevin Roche. Inside you can secure the usual brochures
but also admire a 9-foot chandelier and four “Persian”
flowers by the famed glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.
Within easy walking distance are Lincoln
Elementary School and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, both
designed by Gunnar Birkerts. Other churches of note in Columbus are
North Christian Church, designed by Eero Saarinen, and
the First Baptist Church, by Harry Weese. Several other schools in town
were designed by such eminent American architects as Weese, John Carl
Warnecke, Norman Fletcher, E.L. Barnes, J.M. Johansen, and Eliot Noyes.
The fact that these many schools have been designed by such luminaries
of 20th-century American architecture is due totally to the wisdom and
generosity of the Cummins Foundation.
Set up as the philanthropic arm of the Cummins
Engine Company, the foundation has worked since the mid-1950s with
the local school board to fully fund the design work for any new
school building. The only qualification required by the foundation
is that the school board must agree to choose from a list of
prominent American architects recommended by a panel of senior
architects. To date, 12 schools have been so designed and built in
the Columbus district.
This commitment to first-class design in
Columbus is not limited to public buildings. Many businesses have
also followed such a path. With its corporate headquarters,
manufacturing and testing facilities in Columbus, the Cummins
Diesel Engine Co. has led the way with many of its buildings
designed by the likes of Weese and Roche. The Irwin Union Bank and
Trust Co.’s downtown location is the product of the genius of
Eero Saarinen. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has designed several
commercial buildings here as well. The commercial center of town,
the Commons and the Commons Mall, is the work of Cesar Pelli. This
local favorite was designed to serve many functions: It is the
commercial hub of downtown, and it is the home of the Columbus branch
of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The Commons also serves as a formal
and informal gathering space. Columbusites often choose to meet at
“Chaos I,” Jean Tinguely’s colossal “in
motion” sculpture, which lives in the Common’s four story
atrium.
It seems that there is a modern architectural
prize at every turn in Columbus. However, one of the most striking
visual gems greets you as you drive into town from Interstate 65 on
State Road 46. As you cross the East Fork of the White River, the
modernistic superstructure of the bridge perfectly frames the 1874
Bartholomew County Courthouse. This building has been lovingly
preserved and is still in daily use. The sight is breathtaking.
A final architectural jewel not to be missed
is located on the courthouse grounds. The Bartholomew County
Veterans Memorial is a touching tribute to the deceased servicemen
and servicewomen of this central Indiana county. Twenty-five
limestone monoliths each stand 40 feet high, and ample space
between them allows a visitor to walk among these pillars. The
outside stones bear the names of the fallen. On nearby interior
pillars, excerpts from the last letters home of these men and women
are inscribed. This is truly a place of reverence and honor.
Treat yourself to a weekend spin soon and
enjoy this hidden jewel on the prairie. The town’s visitors
center provides directions for an architectural tour, or you can
sign up for a guided tour of many of these sights.
Take I-72 and I-74 to Indianapolis, then
I-465 and I-65 south to Columbus.
This article appears in Jun 2-8, 2005.
